12/10/2026
Mary Anning (1799-1847) was a palaeontologist whose discoveries were highly significant and important in terms of geological finds.
However, she unfortunately was not allowed to join the Geological Society of London as she was a woman. She was also discredited for her work at times, for example, scientists used her fossils in their research without crediting her.
She made well-known discoveries, including the first complete Plesiosaur skeleton and the Ichthyosaur, a marine reptile which lived between 90 and 250 million years ago. We still speak about these discoveries today!
Mary Anning is included in our LGBTQ+ trail. Some people have speculated that Mary Anning may have dated women, as she lived with them and was close to them. This interpretation was shown in the film Ammonite (2020). This isn’t confirmed and there is no way to know for sure, but neither is the concept of her dating men which has also been represented in media. There is no concrete evidence of her being in a romantic relationship with anyone, neither male nor female.
*This post was put together by one of our Year 10 work experience students who completed their placement at the Sedgwick Museum over the Summer.
